ALL BLACKS' TOUR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16545, 27 September 1924, Page 7

ALL BLACKS' TOUR.

THE GLOUCESTER MATCH. ENGLISH CRITICISM. (Dice. Tel. Copyright,—United Press Assna ) (Australian nmt N.Z. Cable Assoemnoac i LONDON, Sept. 25. The. All Blacks played their fourth match at Gloucester and, in tbe face ,T : of considerable disadvantages, were ■ not only successful in winning, but ; also in once more keeping their line intact. > The weather was atrocious, but, ? notwithstanding this, twenty. thousand (people were present and took a lively I interest in the play and were most 11 demonstrative.. The All Black's lost the toss, hut ’ Gloucester mulled the kieto.off and ■ this enablqd the visitors to take tho - offensive at an early stage. Dailey reached Die line, hut knocked down 1 the corner flag. . The All Blacks kept up their attack, and, within ten minutes, Donald . got over, Nicholls failing with the I ' kick. j i Dailey was again thrown put at I the corner flag, but- almost imined-1 Lately worked into u position for a ■ drop-kick at goal, anil only missed 1 it by inches. A penally was (hen given against the local men fqr off-side and Nepia landed tin* ball over the bar, but. the score was disallowed, as il had touched an opponent. At this stage, the All Black forwards were dominating the game and con till <*il the play to Gloucester’s 25, but Hart twice dropped passes 'Hint might have led to scores. The New Zealanders’ line kicking was excellent-, but the backs' showed some faults. As in previous matches, they were deficient- in the piercing qualities necessary to drive a score home, and the passing was too wide and too much at random. Both sides wore playing a hard, lion-scientific game.. Gloucester’s . forwards gained possession of most of tlie scrums, lmt their backs were not' smart enough to take advantage and usually resorted to kicking for the lino instead of trying to pass. The international players, Corbett and Pickles, were conspicuous on the local side, both in attack and defence. Towards the end a beautiful movement on the blind side (if the scrum gave Lucas a good chance for a try, but at a critical moment - the wet ball baffled him, and lie could not: hold the pass. The final stages were tremendously ' hard, and both teams played themselves to a standstill. ( •Tupt at the close, however, tho , New Zealanders’ persistence was re- * warded with another try, again seor- j ed by Donald, but. Porter, who took ( the kick, failed to find the goal. Tho game then ended. All Blacks (i, < Gloucester 0. t The form of the All Blacks is still 1 unconvincing, and critics consider « that, they show nvant of coaching, 1 which is responsible for the'mediocre ' exhibition so far compared with the New Zealand standard. Their defence, however; t which was a doubtful quality when they left' New Zealand, is now the best feature, but there is still a tendency to tackle too high. In to-day’s game the kicking of the '• backs was without judgment, often misplaced and often too hard. Tin nullified the chances of scoring. The form of tlie team generally is regarded as insufficient to win some * of the heavy engagements before j them. .

Dailey was the best back on the field to-day. The referee only allowed one mark in the whole game, though the New. Zealanders alone claimed four.

It is interesting to note that since the trial gabies- the All Blacks increased in weight as under:— Nepia, 21h. Donald, 21b. M ’Gregor, Sib. Harvey, 21b. Hart, 81b. Masters, 21b. Badeley, fill). o*. Brownlie, 11b. Cooke, .'lib. | M. Brownlie, 51b Brown, 101 b. Richardson, lib. Svcnson, 81b. •. ’White, 81b. . Steel, 71b. M ’Cleary, 21b. Dailey, 71b. Irvine, 101 b. Parker, 91b. Porter, 81b. Paewai, Sib. ■ Stewart, 21b. R obi Hi aril, Mb. Guppies, 21b. Lucas, 111). Miimjii lost 31b, and Mill stood still. To-day the All Blacks play Swansea, against- which the 1905 team’s score was 4 to 3.